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Malcolm Jenkins, a Super Bowl champion retired NFL player who was among the Philadelphia Eagles who refused to celebrate their win at the White House with President Donald Trump in 2018, praised Jalen Hurts for his decision to skip the ceremony.
Hurts decided to forgo the championship celebration in Washington over what was determined to be „scheduling conflicts.“ The silence on the question about attending the ceremony while at the Time100 Gala last week spoke more words than if he said anything outright.
Honoree Jalen Hurts attends the Time100 Gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday, April 24, 2025 in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jenkins wrote in a Substack article that if Hurts can navigate the scrutiny that may come with the decision, he will elevate himself into something more than just an NFL player.
„He solidifies himself as a selfless leader, willing to risk comfort to honor his values,“ Jenkins wrote. „He strengthens his integrity and cultural capital in a way few athletes ever achieve. He shows the next generation what it looks like to stand on principle—not just play for the applause. He joins a tradition of athletes who used their peak to push conversations forward, not shy away from them.“
Jenkins made clear that „leadership is never optional“ and skipping the White House will present its own set of problems, from public and media scrutiny to potential locker room division.
Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins warms up before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans on Nov. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
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„Leadership today isn’t just about leading a team,“ Jenkins added. „It’s about leading a conversation. And Jalen Hurts—whether he realizes it or not—just entered that conversation at the highest level.“
The former defensive back also touched on Saquon Barkley’s decision to spend the day with Trump before the White House celebration.
President Donald Trump, left, talks to Philadelphia Eagles football player Saquon Barkley before boarding Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport on Sunday, April 27, 2025 in Morristown, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
„It was disappointing, to say the very least but I understand that respect works both ways,“ Jenkins wrote. „Each man has to walk his own path. But neutrality is not neutrality in times like these. And even silence becomes a statement.“
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